Marcelino defends Senegalese Pape Gueye amid scrutiny over risky style at Villarreal

Marcelino García Toral has defended Pape Gueye after questions were raised about the midfielder’s risk-taking approach in possession during his standout campaign with Villarreal CF.

The Senegal international, who scored the decisive goal in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, has emerged as one of Villarreal’s key performers this season.

His energetic displays in midfield have been instrumental in the club’s push near the top of La Liga, where the Yellow Submarine sit fourth after 26 matches and remain on course for qualification to the UEFA Champions League.

Gueye’s influence has been reflected in his attacking contributions, with the 27-year-old registering four goals and one assist in 20 league appearances. However, his willingness to take risks when playing out from the back has occasionally drawn scrutiny, particularly when possession is lost in dangerous areas.

One such moment occurred recently during Villarreal’s 4-1 defeat to FC Barcelona at Camp Nou, where a turnover in possession allowed the Catalan side to open the scoring. The incident renewed debate around Gueye’s decision-making on the ball.

Ahead of Villarreal’s upcoming league fixture against Elche CF, Marcelino rejected criticism directed at the midfielder and insisted that football must be understood as a collective effort rather than the responsibility of a single player.

“I believe football is a collective sport, and the quality of the decisions made by the player in possession of the ball, combined with the involvement and movement of the other players, is what allows the collective play to have continuity,” he said.

“A midfielder must turn, want the ball, rotate and make the right choices. The best players, those with talent like Pape Gueye, whom I consider an exceptional footballer, excellent in most areas, will also make mistakes. And that is where the others come in: to correct those errors.”

The Villarreal manager stressed that errors are an inevitable part of the game and should not be used to single out individual players.

“If football were a sport where only the success or failure of the player with the ball mattered and everyone else stayed on the bench, football would not exist,” Marcelino added.

“There are eleven players on the pitch who must work together for the good of the team. If one loses the ball, another must find a solution to correct it.”